OCD Action

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The Aviator is on this afternoon on BBC 2 at 5.20. For those who haven’t seen the film, it’s about Howard Hughes and it includes several scenes where he is struggling with his OCD.

Sat Apr 10 2010 14:09:36 #
Subo
Member

Oohh thanks Tricia may watch that xxxx

Sat Apr 10 2010 14:12:46 #
Unregistered

I found it very moving (and distressing). The courage Hughes found to face the court appearance shows how strong he was (he was in a very bad way with his OCD at that time). It also shows how selective we can be with fear. Howard Hughes was so terrified of germs and yet could be almost reckless when it came to flying his planes. The film does not include the last tragic fifteen years or so of his life.

Sat Apr 10 2010 14:19:07 #
aishah
Member

I have got the DVD and it is truly amazing what Howard Hughes managed to achieve despite having such severe OCD. I have also read a book on his life which made very interesting reading. What an inspirational man who suffered so much yet achieved so much in his life.

Mon Apr 12 2010 20:13:17 #
Unregistered

Dear Bridget, He was inspirational, wasn't he, but his life was so tragic, especially the final years. I wonder if he even knew what his illness was.

When the Aviator was released, I was trying to help a friend in America. She was going through an acrimonious divorce and her lawyer was a little impatient at how often my friend cancelled appointments due to her OCD. My friend was too embarrassed to explain about her condition and I offered to phone the lawyer in America and explain the severity of my friend’s problem. I was failing to get through to the lady. Eventually, I asked her if she had heard about Howard Hughes’ OCD. The Aviator was being shown across America at the time, but the lawyer referred to Hughes as a freak. I felt I let my friend down, but in truth she needed a different lawyer. It still saddens me to recall the scathing remark.

Another friend was deeply distressed by the audience’s laughter when she went to a cinema to watch the film. She wanted to stand up and shout out to them that the man was in torment and it was not remotely funny.

Jeffrey Schwartz was an advisor on the film and my friend told him (at a conference) how upset she had been by the audience’s reaction. He took a different view, saying we can all laugh at ourselves and humour is fine. I have to admit that I didn’t get a single laugh from the film myself.

I hope you are doing better, Bridget.
Love, Tricia.

Tue Apr 13 2010 14:19:55 #
Truddles
Member

Hi Tricia,

I'm pleased that you're feeling better today and that the GP listened and didn't dismiss what you said.

He took a different view, saying we can all laugh at ourselves and humour is fine.

I agree that we can all laugh at ourselves but that is certainly not to say that we should laugh at the misfortune of others.

I frequently joke about the crazy situations that my OCD gets me into and I certainly don't mind people laughing with me. But I strongly object to people laughing at me or making a joke at my expense because of the OCD.

On the forum we often make a joke of or laugh at some of the situations our OCD gets us into and to me that's ok as we all understand what just what we're going through. But if a non OCDer was to make the same joke or statement I wouldn't be at all amused as it would be to ridicule us rather than laugh with us at the futility of the situation.

Sorry to go on but I've had enough of the so called professionals laughing at me.

Trudy

Tue Apr 13 2010 16:33:14 #
Unregistered

Trudy, That's exactly what my friend told Jeffrey Schwartz. I'm not sure he understood. You'd think he would have done. She said it's fine when we laugh at ourselves, OCD sufferers do not lack a sense of humour, but that's very different from people laughing at us. She asked the good professor whether he would think it OK for a cinema audience to laugh at people with a physical illness or disability when they are struggling. I think she offended the great man. Good for her, I say!

Wed Apr 14 2010 14:23:33 #
PARTY POISON
Blocked

I watched this - only for Kate though

Sat Apr 17 2010 17:54:01 #
Unregistered

I think all the actors performed well. I am not a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio, but I thought he was convincing as Hughes. Kate did play Ava Gardner very well, but the outstanding performance for me was Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn. I believe she won an Oscar for it.

Mon Apr 19 2010 13:03:44 #
PARTY POISON
Blocked

Leonardo Di Caprio was good in this movie.
Kate Beckinsale was awesome though - as always :D, she's kind of under rated though

Kate is awesome in Underworld though - there is no underworld without her

Mon Apr 19 2010 17:31:48 #
Unregistered

I haven't seen that, I will try to watch it. I also admired her dad! It was very sad that he died so young.

Tue Apr 20 2010 14:07:44 #
PARTY POISON
Blocked

Yeah that is sad I've watched Porridge before.

It's really cheap £6 for 1 and 2
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Underworld-Evolution-DVD-Kate-Beckinsale/dp/B000F8O1MA/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271777158&sr=8-11

Or I could tell you how to download them - I downloaded and bought them

They're great though
Kate is freakin awesome in those movies

Tue Apr 20 2010 15:28:39 #